Dies Natalis: Illuminating science for transitions

The Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research cordially invites you to attend the celebration of the 102nd Dies Natalis on Monday 9th March 2020. The title of this year’s celebration is: Illuminating science for transitions.

Contact HS (Hedy) Wessels-van Blijenburgh

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Illuminating science for transitions

By putting SDGs centre stage, science shows its commitment to contributing to major transitions in energy, food, agriculture and other areas. Addressing these major challenges of tomorrow necessitates fundamental new insights, concepts and knowledge. Hence, the importance of curiosity-driven creative scientists with no other immediate goal than unravelling fundamental physical, chemical, social or biological processes (such as photosynthesis) cannot be - but sometimes is - underestimated. ‘Science for transition’ also requires the transition of science itself. Open science, citizen science, team science, revaluing research metrics and education, and other changes are to be welcomed. But such ‘science in transition’ will not change the ambition for high quality science.

This year’s ceremony highlights the importance of basic science in our domain. Biologist Professor Donald Ort from the University of Illinois will discuss his fundamental work on photosynthesis. Three young Wageningen scientists will reflect on their fundamental scientific work in relation to transitions. Rector Magnificus Arthur Mol will illuminate on the kind of transitions in science we may expect.

The official Dies Natalis celebration will be preceded by a symposium organised by the Wageningen Graduate Schools.

More about the speakers

Programme Dies Natalis 2020

Prior to the Dies Natalis celebration there will be an inspiring symposium related to the theme of the Dies Natalis, organised by the Wageningen Graduate Schools.

Young talented researchers (PhD candidates and postdocs) present their fascination for fundamental science in short presentations of 15 minutes each.

Programme Dies Natalis symposium
11:00	Registration
11:20	Word of welcome by Prof.dr ir. Gerco Angenent
11:30	Introduction by Dr Thomas Kodger
12:00	Pitch sessions – Young researchers will share their fascination for fundamental science
12:30	Lunch
13:15	Pitch sessions – Young researchers will share their fascination for fundamental science
14:45	End of programme

Please register online before or on Wednesday 4 March 2020

Programme official celebration Dies Natalis
14:30	Welcoming reception and registration
15:30	Illuminating science for transitions
	Prof.dr ir. Arthur P.J. Mol \| Rector Magnificus of Wageningen University and Vice-President of Wageningen University & Research
	Prof.dr Donald R. Ort \| Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois
	Interlude
	Three young Wageningen scientists – Dr Medhi Habibi, Dr Ingrid van der Laan-Luijkx, Dr Eveline Verhulst
	Presentation of the University Fund Wageningen Research Award
17:00	Reception

Venue

Orion, building number 103 Orion is one of the education buildings of Wageningen University & Research. The foundation stone for Orion was laid at the beginning of 2011....

Plants are the basis of all life on earth. They use the sun’s energy to convert CO₂ from the air into plant material by means of photosynthesis. So, in a sense, plants really are green factories!

Photo: Alamy

Photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts, small green granules inside the cells of a leaf. Sunlight triggers a series of biochemical reactions inside the chloroplasts through which CO₂ and water can react to form sugars and oxygen. The sugars provide the building blocks to make new cells and the energy for further growth.

Photo: Alamy

Here a chloroplast, located inside a leaf, is visualised through an advanced microscope. This provides detailed information on the overall architecture of the photosynthetic light-harvesting machinery of the leaf. In combination with other research methods this gives insight in how plants manage to adapt to different light conditions on the microscopic scale.

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